The Red Medicine Tobacco Prevention Project youth empowerment will focus on working with Native youth to address commercial tobacco use. A summary of the youth activities is detailed below:

 

6-10 youth in each of the three sites will participate in a Tobacco Learning Collaborative (TLC) that will provide a comprehensive set of activities, including:

1. Curriculum-based commercial tobacco virtual classes

2. Trainings and leadership development

3. Culturally-based tobacco products litter and waste cleanup events

4. Developing commercial tobacco prevention media products

5. Tribal council/boards testimony

 

The TLC activities are designed to build capacity and prepare youth for engaging in policy, systems and environmental change which includes influencing tribal leaders and local AIAN organization decision-makers to adopt and implement commercial tobacco litter/waste control and cessation policies.

 

The youth will lead cultural activities that engage community members and raise awareness about the harms of commercial tobacco products waste to both people and tribal community lands while celebrating Native American culture and values around traditional tobacco use.

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Example activities include:

 

• Gathering of Native Americans (GONA) bringing youth, community members, stakeholders, and tribal leaders together to address the detrimental impacts of commercial tobacco use to the health of people, lands and environment including plants, water systems and wildlife.

• Native American community and organization engagement to promote smoke and vape-free environments, smoking/vape cessation, and access to evidence-based cessation treatments.

• Influence tribal organizations to adopt smoke/vape-free policies and processes for referring community members who smoke and vape to local and statewide tobacco cessation treatment and services such as the California Smokers Helpline.